Cristie Kerr made the most of her trip to Florida last week by cruising across Alligator Alley for a pre-Thanksgiving homecoming in Miami. To show how Kerr’s priorities had changed, the 38-year-old working mom was most thankful not for her latest career victory, but for her 2-year-old son riding in the car seat on his way to visit grandma.

Linda Kerr is losing her vision to macular degeneration, but watched intently as her daughter won the CME Group Tour Championship and her grandson scurried across the 18th green into his mother’s arms at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples two weeks ago. She could see what everyone sees—the difference in Cristie.

“I think it’s great that she does have a family,” said U.S. Solheim Cup captain Juli Inkster of Kerr. “I think it’s really matured her. She was amazing at the Solheim Cup, not only on the golf course, but off the course. It showed her there’s more to life than just golf.”